Making Changes, A Sugar and Spies Story
by alynwa
Summary: Napoleon and Illya adjust to having Leona in their lives.


Making Changes

When Mr. Waverly gave his permission for his top two agents to adopt and raise a little girl, they moved quickly to put their plans in place. Napoleon contacted his real estate agent and informed her that he would be buying the penthouse next door. He used the famous Solo charm to get her to expedite the sale. Since he threatened to set afire any piece of furniture the Russian dared to bring across the threshold, Illya boxed up his books and his clothing and moved to Napoleon's in a cab. It took two trips.

The two men removed the desk, file cabinets, and bookcases from the room that was to be Leona's. It was, before Napoleon had converted it into his office, another bedroom with a bath. The walls had been a very sensible beige but, they became a very pale, pastel pink to complement the bedroom set that was on order. His and Illya's new home office would be the master bedroom of the newly acquired other half of their apartment.

The bedroom set had been their first argument and compromise about how to raise Leona. If Napoleon had his way, Leona's bedroom would be all opulence and elegance fit for European royalty and if Illya had his, the room would have contained nothing more than a twin bed and a dresser suitable for a monk in a monastery. What they decided was that Napoleon would pick out something functional yet, pleasing to the eye of a young child. The result was a white set consisting of a double captain's bed, a four drawer dresser, open and closed cubbyholes on the wall to hold her toys and books and two nightstands. The set Napoleon had picked out for his little girl arrived and was set up by the deliverymen while he and Leona watched.

Lamont and Rosie Greer came over after work for dinner one day and did a walk – through the apartment to point out what the agents needed to do to childproof their home. Everything they suggested was done: Locks on the liquor and cleaning supplies cabinets, plugs in the outlets, a gate to block the kitchen and window guards in every window in every room.

They had both given Mrs. Rosie Greer money to shop for Leona. A self – proclaimed "world – class shopper", she had come by and picked the toddler up one Saturday morning and spent the entire day "in her glory," as she put it, buying an entire wardrobe for her. Leona arrived back home accompanied by shopping bags full of everything, they were assured, a little girl needed. Afterwards, Rosie had dressed Leona in several outfits so she could model for her Papa and Daddy. She smiled and laughed when they declared her 꽤 (pretty). Half of her wardrobe went home with Rosie to go into the closet of her room there.

The three of them had been living together for four weeks and things were starting to fall into a routine. Thanks to the Old Man's generosity, they had been granted parental leave for eight weeks. They had spent a lot of the time familiarizing Leona with her new environment and the new people in her life. She had spent time with the Greers to acclimate her to their family in anticipation of Napoleon and Illya returning to the field.

Illya fed Leona her dinner; rice with vegetables. He was in charge of feeding the little girl because he, unlike Napoleon, refused to throw her into the deep end of the American diet pool. He thought it might upset her system to be introduced to typical American toddler fare all at once. He was gradually shifting her away from the kim chee and chili – peppered sauced beef and eggs she was used to toward food that was not as highly spiced. And, unlike children her age in Korea, she also was not fed sweets with any regularity.

Napoleon took over as soon as dinner was finished. He took her to her bedroom where he played with her as her bathtub filled with bubble bath and then, after he dropped her rubber ducky into the tub, put her in and bathed her and washed her hair. When he finished, he wrapped her in a large plush towel and rubbed her dry and then put her in her pajamas.

The entire time they spent together, Napoleon spoke to her in English and Italian. Illya conversed with her in Korean, English, French and Russian. They were both in the habit of saying something in English and then repeating it in another language. So far, this did not seem to confuse her; she was actually capable of answering them in all the languages they spoke to her.

Illya had placed Leona's dishes in the dishwasher after having wiped down the table. He would turn it on after he and Napoleon had their dinner. He joined Leona and his partner in her bedroom just as Napoleon had pulled back the sheets and placed the little girl in bed. He smiled and watched her as Illya told her the story of the Three Little Pigs in Korean and English. She fell asleep right before the Big Bad Wolf blew down the Second Little Piggy's house. They sat a few minutes longer to make sure she didn't wake up again. When her breathing deepened, they walked out after Illya turned off her lamp.

Later on that evening, the two master spies turned parents relaxed in the living room, one with a cup of tea and the other, a mug of hot chocolate. Illya put down his copy of _Quantum World _magazine and said, "So, Napoleon. Any second thoughts about what you have gotten yourself into?"

Napoleon put his cup down and stretched his arms over his head while he lifted his feet up on the couch. As he crossed his arms over his chest, he answered, "Tovarisch, I have had second thoughts every day since the Old Man said we could do this. Every time you left the house and I was alone with her; every time Rosie pointed out something we have to child – proof made me think I was in over my head; every meal I cooked that she wouldn't eat…" he shook his head. "There was a part of me that felt I was just going along with this because you love her and we're partners and that's what partners do."

Illya looked at Napoleon with a face devoid of emotion. "And, now?" he asked cautiously.

The brunet grinned and said, "Did I tell you what happened the day Leona's furniture was delivered?" When the Russian shook his head no, Napoleon recounted, "Well, ah, the deliverymen brought the stuff in and put it all together while Leona and I stood in the doorway watching. There were two of them, nice enough guys. They finished putting everything together and I was showing them out. Leona was walking in front of me. They stood to one side while I entered the codes to turn off the alarms and when I opened the door, one walked right out and the other one said goodbye to me then leaned down to Leona who was about two feet away from me and said 'Goodbye, Cutie.'

"Leona looked up at him, turned around, ran behind me and grabbed my leg. I knew then I'm not doing this because _you _love her. I'm doing this because _I _love her. The guy straightened up and left but, I knew that if he had truly been a threat to her, he would have been a dead man. I picked Leona up and while I was re – setting the alarm, I told her that I'm her Daddy and I will always protect her and she can always come to me when she's afraid."

Illya's eyes lit up. "Oh, I'm glad you feel that way, Napoleon. You can take her next week for her immunization shots. She cried so badly the first time, I don't think I could take it again, you know how I feel about doctors."

Napoleon sighed, "Well, ah, I guess it wouldn't do for you to hurt Dr. James. Fine, I'll take her. I do love her but, I'll be so glad to get back out in the field. Is that wrong?"

"No, Partner, I feel the same way. We _have _to change the world for her. And, because the Old Man would take her if we didn't. We can do this; we will not only be good agents but, _great _parents."

The two men nodded their agreement to each other and went back to relaxing. Tomorrow would, no doubt, bring more changes.


End file.
